


I'm Proud of You

by Joveesia



Category: Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: And decided to finish this, I was feeling depressed today, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-26 03:06:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3834679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joveesia/pseuds/Joveesia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They shouldn't have gone into the caverns alone. They shouldn't have gone unprepared. Now they pay the price for their carelessness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Proud of You

**Author's Note:**

> Best song I found to capture the feel in this fic is I'm Proud of You from the Mass Effect 3 OST. Also 1000 Words/ A wish that spans the agesfrom FFX-2 feels like it fits well too. This is unbeta'd and I really don't care too much about that. Also fic title's from the same song mentioned before.

There was so much blood, staining the frozen soil of the ice caverns. Puffs of labored breaths wafted through the frigid air as they left their host’s failing body.

He should have never let Ludger out of his sight. It was just one misstep, Ludger had slipped and fell off on of the many icy cliffs that the Kakhar Caverns held when he went to dodge a monster’s attack. They had come alone, everyone else preoccupied with other matters. Neither of them thought there was going to be any problem, and usually there wasn’t.

They had been flanked, surprised by a superior Ice Golem that lurked the silent tunnels. Gaius belatedly realized that it had probably been using the cave as it’s home, surpassing the normal monsters that resided. The monster was ferocious, they were able to keep it at bay for the most part but they knew that between the two of them, they didn’t have much of a chance of winning.

Ludger was the one who had gotten the idea, to use his exceptional agility to get in quick and stun the monster just long enough for them to both hightail it to a safer place.

It almost worked.

Ludger hadn’t anticipated the Golem to recover as quickly as it did, by then Gaius was far enough away that he couldn’t cover for the spry twenty-year-old. Ludger barely dodged when it swung one of it’s massive arms at him only to land on black ice near the edge. He immediately lost his footing, sliding back while trying to right himself and recover.

Ludger hardly was able to block the next attack from the Golem, causing him to go flying off of the cliff. Gaius had yelled and gave chase while avoiding the raging Golem.

It took him a moment to locate his comrade in the snow and ice that had fallen in the commotion. A groan alerted Gaius to where Ludger was roughly, rushing over to get him out of the frozen water as quickly as possible. As Gaius pulled Ludger up, a sharp cry of pain escaped from the battered boy. Blood stained Ludger’s shirt where an icicle decided to take up residence through his abdomen.  

Gaius looked in horror as he gently held Ludger’s dying body, silently pleading for him not to leave as the young man started to lose his strength. Once lively sea foam green eyes slowly became a murky teal as Ludger weakened. His soft gaze landed on Gaius and the smallest of smiles crossed his face.

_What’s wrong, Erston?_

__

_I’ll be okay._

A weak hand came up to caress the king’s cheek, spurring the older man to feel the pricks of tears coming. Gaius’s thoughts raced to find a way to help Ludger, to take stock of everything that he had on hand to help. They hadn’t thought to bring much, the monsters were weak to them, they hardly broke a sweat up until this point.

Ludger continued to smile as his body grew ever colder, the large spike of ice cooling his core at a rapid rate. Gaius had begun talking to him, asking for Ludger to just hang on while he debated about removing the icicle. Ludger shook his head, dropping his hand while Gaius moved to grasp it.

Gaius didn’t want to think about cruel this was, that after only a week of being more than just friends it would end. Ludger had seemed to be thinking the same thing, babbling quietly about the ruthless hand fate dealt them. He teased and talked about how scared he was when he had confronted Gaius. Tears formed at his eyes as his voice started to waiver when he continued on, expressing the relief and joy he felt when Gaius had reciprocated his feelings.

Gaius told him that this wasn’t going to be the end, that Ludger was going to get better and they were going to spend lots of time together if Muzet or Leia had any say. Ludger huffed out a weak laugh, wincing when it jarred the melting ice.

_Sounds like them._

__

_Erston?_

__

_…_

__

_I need you to promise me something. Promise me… promise me if I don’t make it that you’ll take care of Elle?_

Gaius nodded as Ludger’s tears fell. A smile of alleviation bloomed across Ludger’s paling face as he whispered a simple thank you.

And just like that, his murky teal eyes became lackluster and unfocused. Gaius’s arms shook slightly as he held the lifeless corpse of his close friend and lover. Leaning down, Gaius placed a soft, tender kiss on Ludger’s pale and cold forehead before closing his eyes.

**  
**With as much conviction as he could muster, Gaius picked up the broken body and removed the offending remnants of the icicle. He didn’t know how he’d explain what happened, he would take whatever blame was thrown at him. Gaius began his journey back to Kanbalar with a heavy heart.


End file.
